Disclaimer mania! Do not own squaresoft, but I am very thankful for the amazing characters they made! They inspired so many amazing stories!

Chapter 12

~Quistis~

My last week at Balamb, I never thought I would leave. I try and concentrate on the move and not think about Seifer. His angry eyes this morning break me, I will never forget feeling guilty, I turn around to my closet and throw a box on the floor and start to pack up my belongings. Selfie is so happy about me coming I try and focus on the positive. Being able to teach again will bring a new excitement to my life, one I have truly missed. Folding up my SeeD uniform I hear a slight know on the door.

"Qu?" I hear Xu call out from the other side.

"Hey girl, come on in it's unlocked" I call back turning around to greet my friend.

"So good to have you back but so sad to see you go!" She grumbles wrapping her arms around me "So how was your week off? Where did you go?"

"Uh, I just went to the orphanage to relax. I'm so sorry I'm leaving but I think it will be for the better. I miss teaching and we all know Squall will never need or put me back in an instructor position, I mean it's been two years and nothing"

"Yea I think he's so distracted with work and now Rinoa with the wedding planning, I don't blame you for moving on. Garden isn't the same anymore, I get you one hundred percent." She smiles at me and sits down on my bed while I turn around to continue packing. "Besides honestly I kind of find it fun working with Nida so it's okay"

"Really? Working with your boyfriend seems like the least fun" I laugh over at her.

"Hey girl, we have been making the most of our lunch breaks when Squall isn't around in his office…" She jokes over at me winking.

"No wayyyy, on his desk?" I ask laughing inwardly.

"All over. Everything." She retorts proudly.

"Haha, I guess you won't miss me too much then" I laugh while folding up my favourite blue dress.

"Wait, don't put that away." She says pulling the dress out of the box. "One last girls night in Balamb?"

"Good idea" I smile. "Just the girls?"

"Well I was thinking if you want to invite Rinoa?" She offers. "I'm honestly not that close to her but you may want to say goodbye"

"Yea sounds perfect" I pull out my phone to text Rinoa. "Tonight I assume, what time?" I ask Xu.

"Like seven-ish?" She replies.

I send a message to Rinoa "Hey hon, we're heading down to Balamb for drinks tonight, Xu and I, wanna join?"

~Bing~

Wow the girl responds fast she is forever glued to her phone "YESSSSS, into that can we go to that place on the water? They have dancing at night! Shiva's point I think it's called?"

Turning to Xu I ask if Shiva's sounds good then confirm with Rinoa by text.

At exactly seven o'clock I stand by the front gate with my friends waiting for the taxi. Wearing my favourite royal blue velvet dress and a pair of strappy black sandals. This is what I needed a night to get so obliterated drunk and try not to think about Seifer. Looking down at my feet I sigh. If I could even talk to someone about it I would feel better. Being out with my best friend and not even being able to tell her how I am feeling right now will definitely be a challenge.

"Cab's here!" Rinoa says waving the yellow vehicle down in our direction. We all slide into the hot backseat, my backside squeaking against the leather due to the shortness of my dress I put myself in the middle seat. "So when are you leaving Quisty? I can't believe you are actually leaving at all wow"

"Well I think towards the end of the week, Selfie is quite excited about it" I smile over at the petite brunette dressed in her favourite gold cocktail dress, the girl could wear a garbage bag and still look absolutely adorable, it's really her energy that makes her a pleasant presence in my life, it's understandable that her and Xu would never really click. She's the polar opposite, super brash and to the point and that's what I also loved about Xu. I do hope I make it back to visit, I am also sad to leave these girls.

"So last night out on the town in Balamb, as the only single lady here Qu you have to get laid" Xu says raising an eyebrow and elbowing me in the ribs suggestively.

I push her arm away laughing "Omg Xu, you have a one track mind don't you"

"Pfft whatever, you know I have your best interests at heart, like its been yearrrrrrs" Xu replies "I'm pretty sure you're a virgin again at this point" she adds. If only if she knew how satisfied I have recently been, the last thing on my mind is jumping in bed with some stranger. I look down at my hands and will my thoughts of him away not wanting my friends to know anything about this last week, well, especially last weekend.

I almost feel tears about to come up when Rinoa touches my shoulder "Hey Quisty you okay?" She asks concerned.

"Yep, yea, you know just sad to leave you guys" I reply, it wasn't really a lie. I was sad about leaving and this will be my cover up for the evening, I plan to myself. "Oh good we're here" I happily slide out of the really hot taxi and we begin to make our way into Shiva's.

"Bar or Table?" a young sweet looking hostess says making her way towards us with some very tiny menus. Clearly this is one of those hip evening restaurant type clubs, which is great as that is also Xu's favourite kind of place.

"Table please" Rinoa says smiling. We make our way towards a high table with stools, I instantly begin regretting my outfit choice but looking over at my friends who are also in short dresses I realize we are all in the same boat and that is probably the point of these chairs, to expose our butts to the population. She leaves the small menus on the table and within moments a tall handsome waiter with red hair makes his way over towards us. Xu instantly looks at him than back at me and raises her eyebrows, insinuations very clear. I word the mouth no at her but still smile towards the handsome stranger making his way towards our table.

"Well good evening ladies" He smiles at us but his gaze clearly on Rinoa "My name is Reno, I will happily be your waiter this evening. Can I start you fine ladies off with something to drink?"

Rinoa, clearly very excited with the attention the waiter has given her, excitedly claps her hands "Yes! Oooh what do you ladies want to start with? Cockktails? Or maybe a bottle of Prosecco?" She asks turning over to us.

"Sure I could go for some bubbles" Xu agrees. I nod in agreement closing the wine menu and placing it on the table in front of me.

"Wonderful, I will be right back with that for you ladies" He says winking at Rinoa, I see a mild blush appear on her cheeks.

"Seriously Rin" I laugh at her.

"Well if you don't want him a little harmless flirting never hurt anyone" She says mischievously.

"Yea well that big rock on your hand may give you away" I point towards her hands which we're folded in front of her on the table.

The evening went by all too quickly, the tiny appetizers we ordered clearly couldn't keep up with the amount of Prosecco we have gone through, I think we were on our fourth, maybe even fifth bottle. Rinoa was clearly already far gone as she made her way to the dance floor, dragging us by the hands to the back of the establishment where a DJ and flashing lights were set up. After a few songs my head already started to hurt so I made my way back to the bar to get another drink and Reno was there to gladly pour me another Prosecco.

"So your friend" He motions to the back left where Rinoa was dancing wildly, arms in the air. I don't think I have ever seen that girl sad and alcohol clearly accentuated her happiness.

"Yea Rinoa" I reply. I don't want to be the fun police but I have the urge to tell this guy to back off, he is clearly a big flirt and seems to be just as energetic as Rinoa. It may be best to keep them away from each other.

"She single?" He delves for the info, straight to the point.

He places my glass in front of me and I take a big sip. "Very much no, she's engaged to the headmaster of Balamb Garden if you must know" I reply matter of factly.

"Even better, I like a challenge" He smiles his eyes narrowing toward the dance floor flirtatiously.

"You are a strange one" I say starting to walk away waving him off as I do and heading back to our table. Soon after I see Xu walking towards me.

"Where's Rin?" I ask her approaching form.

"Well it's clear I've been replaced" she motions back towards the dance floor. I see Rinoa still dancing way too excitedly now with our way too friendly waiter who seems to have some equally silly dance moves. I see him awkwardly twirling her in a circle like a ballerina.

"I give it two songs before she spews on him" I joke making fun of the clear drunkness of their friend and their equally inebriated dance moves.

"At least they're having fun" She shrugs. Sitting across from me. "So you sure you are okay Qu? You don't seem yourself since getting back this morning?"

I ball my fists under the table and look off in the distance towards the window. Don't think about him, Don't think about him. I keep telling myself but my now fuzzy brain had very little power. "Yea, honestly it's just this move, it's a lot for me you know. Balamb has always been home to me, and leaving you guys. It's going to be hard" Again not a lie I smile halfheartedly at her.

"Alright hon, but if there's something else you would tell me right?" She asks taking a sip from her drink.

"Yea of course absolutely" I reply this time definitely lying. I motion for another waiter as our was clearly busy shaking it down with Rinoa on the dance floor.

Glasses refilled Xu turns towards me and asks "So random question I notice you logged a mission for Rajin on Tuesday, what is that all about? I wasn't prodding into your info or anything but Nida was working from your pc and got a notification on it."

"Oh that? It must have been an accident" I answer quickly trying to cover my tracks. I had completely forgotten about that mission.

"So should I cancel it for you?" She offers somewhat suspiciously.

"No it's fine I will take care of it myself" I reply quickly. "Now stop talking shop, girls night remember!" I say trying to change the direction of the conversation. "Now how are we going to deal with that situation?" I motion towards Rinoa who was rubbing herself wildly up against Reno and he was clearly enjoying every moment of it.

We both have a subsequent eye roll and laugh.

~Xu~

Later that night I get to my room, taking off my clothes from the evening and hanging them in the closet I put on one of Nida's Tshirts and make my way over to the laptop. Hmmm fourteen hundred hours tomorrow. I think if Quistis doesn't cancel this by then I may just have to tail Rajin to Deling myself. I know something is up that she isn't telling me. It's not like her to make 'accidents'. I can clearly see there is something on her mind she is not letting on about.

A/N

Whoa long chappy for me, I know it isn't as exciting as the last but I think it is a necessary to bridge what is coming in the future. Hope you like my little Reno Cameo there. He's such a cutie I could totally see him and Rin together but I'm not going to be a jerk and break up the marriage.

Hope you guys are all having a great week!